Seerah – Life of the Prophet: The Undeniable Truth

Welcome to Seerah Pearls, which aims to highlight some tantalising learning points from each episode of the Seerah- Life of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam).

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) used to visit a Christian slave regularly. Some leaders of Quraysh accused the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) of scheming ideas together with this servant and propagating them. Allah revealed:

16:103 And We certainly know that they say, “It is only a human being who teaches the Prophet.” The tongue of the one they refer to is foreign, and this Qur’an is [in] a clear Arabic language.

The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) used to recite Quran aloud at night. Abu Sufyan reports that he, Abu Jahl and Akhnas ibn Shariq would go to listen to this recitation as it was so captivating. After listening for a time, they would run back home before being seen. One night, the three ran into each other and tried to explain themselves. After confessing they came to listen to the recitation, they justified it as needing to keep track of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). They all promised not to come again, as it was a bad example for others. The second night, they all return and encounter each other again. Once again, they promise not to return. The third night, the same happened. Abu Sufyan reports that after this, they did not visit too often.

Akhnas ibn Shariq asked Abu Sufyan what he thought about the recitation. Abu Sufyan said he understood some but some was beyond the human realm, which he did not understand. However, he felt this was not from Muhamad (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). Akhnas ibn Shariq also asked Abu Jahl. He replies that Banu Amir have always competed with Banu Abd Manaf. Now that one of them came saying he was a Prophet, Banu Amir needed to provide the same and they could not do this. So, to maintain social order, even though the message was obviously divine, they cannot accept his message.